barely there

one of the most loved gifts i've ever received was this necklace from my sister and brother-in-law. i love it because it's so perfectly delicate and barely there, but has a little glimmer and falls just perfectly. because i love it so, so much, my husband bought me the matching bracelet as a sweet surprise for channukah. normally, i'm not one for matchy matchy or things in sets, but because these pieces are so subtle and quietly lovely, i love wearing them both. and i do...every single day.

 

i've been loving initial jewelry lately, and last week on a business trip, i admired this lovely initial necklace that had that barely there quality. i particularly love the way the certain letters (like the H and the N) which are suspended on a bias and looked just perfect. 

you can also get them with more than one letter (perfect for one's own initials or those of children), and also with numbers. and of course, the bracelets are as dainty as the necklaces.

while i totally love huge, flashy jewelry (i'll gladly admit that), my love for that kind of bling is rivaled only for my love of this kind of delicate perfection...like whispered bling. love it.

flex your wrist

have you seen flex watches? i love them! they don't ship until feb 1st but what a nice spot of brightness in the cold winter to look forward to! they're fun and playful, sporty and sleek. and they support good causes - eleven of them! 

the watches (only $30 each) come in eleven colors and each supports a different cause - gray is for imerman angels,  red is for mariners outreach, blue, which is my favorite, is for nika water. oooh and i love the black too. i love all of them, really. especially this light blue one. i guess i'd be a good candidate for the ten pack. the ten pack would be a great way to save $5 per for next year's holiday gifts or bridesmaids gifts. or for oneself. there's always that too...

they also sell just the bands for $15, so you could opt for the white or gray watch (silver face) and then get a few different color bands that would work with those faces. the possibilities are pretty much endless.

layers of love

the isla layered necklace from sarah chloe is, i think, my very favorite incarnation of the initials-on-a-pendant look i've seen. i have to admit it's partially because you don't have to choose what metal tone to go with (white, yellow, rose) and can instead use any combination of them you'd like. i think a rose and yellow combo would be pretty if you only needed two charms, and then who knows, maybe you'd have a white one to add later on!

of course, these more typical versions are very lovely too. and then there are these diamond little boy and girl charms.  and i love love love the concept of this trio necklace because it looks collected over time and not too perfectly planned because of the way they overlap and touch.

do you love? i feel like sarah chloe is pretty much one-stop-shopping for all monogrammed and personalized jewelry. there's pretty much nothing in that realm that i've wanted (initial pendants, monogram pendants, even old-school nameplates in all different typefaces!) that they don't kill it on.

tricks are for kids

okay, watches are for kids in this case. just needed something catchy. look at this fun watch from the gap. who says it's only for kids? not me!

and how about this kit from toy watch? as far as i'm concerned, they should be making this in several different colorways and styles. genius.

happy weekend

oh my sweets...have you had the kind of week i have? i am just beyond ready for the weekend. i have felt all week like every minute i have is spoken for, and then some. you know that feeling? when you never feel okay doing nothing because you just have SO.MANY.THINGS. to do? alright, i'm done complaining and i'm ready to stream consciousness.

have you been to whole foods lately? i've been thrilled with two products i got there last week and have been using daily in salads...very large pitted kalamata olives and crumbled gorgonzola cheese and they're right next to each other at the store! why are they both so good? i don't know, but i can tell you i feel good about most things i buy there, especially because i've been watching food, inc and am deeply disturbed.

another great salad addition i'm loving is called the healthy 8 from trader joe's. it's a container of chopped radishes, carrots, red cabbage, green cabbage, broccoli, jicama, green pepper and celery. it's so perfect for just tossing a scoop into pretty much anything you're eating...salad, sandwich, tuna salad, chicken salad, wrap, etc. and a great buy at $2.99 - think about how many veggies you DON'T have to buy and chop.

mitchell and i have started to look in brooklyn for a neighborhood since we've decided a life there will be a better fit for where we are right now and less of a commute would be divine. we're going tomorrow to boerum hill, cobble hill, carroll gardens, park slope, south slope, windsor terrace and fort greene. i'd love any thoughts on those areas if you have any!

new york women are so stylish, especially in the summer. this website provides a fun look at so many perfectly imperfect ensembles and the women who put them together. i especially love summer fridays seeing everyone in hybrid outfits - work/beach, maybe because they're headed out early to the beach and maybe because it's a summer friday and they're just cool looking.

i got some stupidly cheap shoes this week. i got three pairs and together they came to $25. done and done. i got these in "orange" which is really more pink and these in black and turquoise. love when that happens. and i want these if i can find them in turquoise. 

i'm thinking they might heal my jack rogers wound a little bit. maybe not. but maybe!

how totally adorable are these bibs? they'd be perfect for a little man or little lady at a fancy party! and also perfect for the two baby gifts i need to buy! hmm....

 and what's a shopping discussion without bracelets - see amazing textural bangles here.

and i feel like this caftan is one of those items where owning it would make one's life better -- happier, more colorful, more relaxed. couldn't we all use a bit of that?

have a great weekend and i'll see you back here next week.

top image, all others from linked sites

shove me some chevron

bracelets + chevron print + sparkle = heaven on earth.

admire them here.

station in life

how pretty is this three station necklace from melissa joy manning? check out more  of her gorgeous jewelry available for sooo discounted on myhabit (use your amazon login for this awesome flash sale site) and melissa's full collection. a little obsessed.

do you like?

for mama

really, where to start with mother's day? there are thousands and thousands of wonderful gift ideas out there so i've rounded up just a handful of my favorites du jours.

for the mom who hates to be late (but doesn't mind if you are), i love this watch from stefani greenfield's line for hsn. want something sportier? check out the soft carnation or the silky lusture from swatch.

for the mom you're always comfortable around, comfy her up in these adorable p.j. salvage tie-dye pajamas. or for a great plus size option i love this anne klein caftan.

for the mom who always love the flowers you bring her, this stoneware vase from anthropologie is a piece of art all on its own, but will take on a special charm with just one or two simple blooms inside. if she'd like something a little more modern, check out this wall pocket vase from jayson home and garden.

for the mom who's just plain beautiful, i love this simple tray in the palest blue/white from jayson home and garden. it would be so sweet on a beautiful mom's vanity or dressing table.for something a little funkier, try the papier watermelon bowl from anthro.

for the fashion forward mom, this silk strand necklace from moma is bananas. or how about this alexis bittar rope lucite bracelet i die over? i die over everything alexis bittar...

for the tongue-in-cheek mom, i love this pill carafe from jonathan adler, made up of a white carafe base and a tumbler in one of six colors (the red looks most legit to me). or how about this modular fish hotel from urban outfitters?

for the mom who makes everything delicious, i love these pretty, flirty aprons from uncommon goods, and it's an added bonus if you have a daughter your mom loves to bake with so you can give her the set (beyond adorable way to break the news she'll be a grandmother, btw)...OR you can always hold on to the mini version for when it does happen. another great option for a perennial entertainer? this outdoor serving cart from pier 1.

for the mom who makes everything grow, i love this old school copper watering can by smith & hawken for target. maybe pair it with packets of seeds to plant together. if you like a more playful pitcher, this frog one from pier 1 is the one.

for the mom who is always willing to hold your phone in her bag so you don't have to bring one, these sets of rebecca minkoff leather and canvas pouches will give her options. if she's more of a throw-it-all-in-there type, consider this tie dye linen bag from old navy.

for the mom who can pull off anything, this woven straw fedora from j. crew is especially cool in an unexpected blue. not so much? then try this saturn sunhat from anthropologie.

for more gift ideas, browse the honey gift files and check out the excellent gift guides at beso and real simple.

top image, all other images from linked sites 

this week i'm loving

loving so many things this week and want to share them with you. to name a few...

the better-than-ever sunglasses selection at old navy.

the most delicious smelling soap. EVER.the coconut scent is the most authentic vacation-in-a-bar i've ever experienced, thanks to my lovely aunt jackie.

i love this bag from banana because it's a rather serious bag in a very spring-ready color. love that combo, and LOVE the color. it also comes in a terrific grass green.

also in the world of colorful accessories, how much fun is this enamel watch? i'm actually rather fond of a few of the watches on hsn. and for only three easy payments....

and welcome to the world of this enamel bracelet. and this perfect set of mismatched bangles. 

okay i'm done.

ok wait, just one more. 

i can't help it! i'm a bracelet addict and all mine are too big on me now. good problem to have, i suppose. i'm loving that this week too.

have a great weekend full of things you love.

friday thoughts and links

what are you up to this weekend dolls? mitchell and i are going extreme couponing (grocery shopping) tonight and we have our youngest friend's birthday party tomorrow - she's turning 2. then on sunday, we're taking a walk to the dock near our house and sipping coffee and talking. in between all that, i wouldn't mind a few naps, some reading and some DVR catch-up.

 i've been seeing ads everywhere for tiffany's new lock collection...i guess they figured the keys worked, so this seems a natural extension.

this watch makes me smile. this one makes me drool.

seeds of change was giving away 100 million organic seeds for only $4.99 yesterday (really just the shipping) and i'm glad to say i got some! they're out now, but you can buy their regular seeds (here's a dollar coupon), and i love their whole mission. i love that they care about what the recipients do with the seeds...it underscores the ways we're all connected, especially through nature. love!

 

and while we're on all things green...check out cycleberry joe. organic produced delivered by bicycle. obsessed.

how cute is this as a way to tell your parents your pregnant? i love the slow unfolding of the realization...

aren't these alice prints cute? they come framed.

on weddings...

check out all this lovely ombre styling from the broke-ass bride.

i'm loving loving loving the modern monogram invitation suite from the wedding chicks. i love the interplay of the traditional block lettering with the flirty, modern handwritten style. play around with the colors...so much fun.

check out the collection BRIDEfinds curated for reese witherspoon-esque, rustic-chic wedding decor.

what are your thoughts on animal prints and weddings? celebrity wedding reporter has pictures, and the thoughts of an event stylist with some pointers.

 

i love love love this engagement session shot by suzanna march and featured on bwed. the groom is a baseball coach, and while normally i don't love overly themed photo shoots, i think this one does a really nice job balancing what's clearly a passion with a more multi-purpose style.

 

some of the shots are decidedly baseball related, but others are not at all, so it's a great mix. i also love that they're not wearing jerseys or war paint or something...they're just dressed normally and it's actually really easy to believe that they are each truly dressed the way they normally do, given that she's a little dressier than he is...it seems like something that just happened, rather than being planned that way.

 

 

and isn't this one so sweet? look how sweet and sincere he looks. 

have a sweet and sincere weekend.

top image, all others from linked sites